Wardrobe trunk



J y 26,1927 v. WEEKS WARDROBE TRUNK Filed Aug. 10. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1I a MW [NV EN TOR. Jazz/:0

July 26,1927; 1,637,206

V. WEEKS WARDROBE TRUNK 'Fi'led Aug. 10, 1925 '2 Sheets- 511681 '2 I 7 JMIMI. if v' I INVENTOR.

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Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES VIRGIL WEEKS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOUR I.

WARDROBE TRUNK.

Application filed August 10, 1925. Serial No. 49,299.

My invention relates to improvements in wardrobe trunks.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide in a wardrobe trunk, ofthe type having a front opening and arranged in its operative positionto stand on end, and having a cover hinged on a vertical axis to thebody, novel means for supporting and bracing the cover in its closedposition.

Another object of my invention is the provision of novel binding meansat the edges of the body around the front opening, which brace the bodyand at the same time forms supporting and bracing means for the cover inthe closed position of the latter.

Still another object of my invention is to provide novel partitioningmeans in the body of the trunk by which the latter is braced and dividedinto compartments and which forms bracing means for the cover in theclosed position of the latter.

My invention provides still furthera construction which is simple, cheapto make, durable, not liable to breakage or toget out of order, which isconvenient, and which affords a maximum of utilizable space.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentof my invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved trunk, showing the coveropen and the hanger support pulled out to its loading and unloadingposition.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig.1, the cover being shown closed.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a portion of thecover and part of the body, the cover being shown in the closedposition.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hanger support.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, of the latchand the presser member arms with which it co-opcrates.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross section of the latch and one of the pressermember arms partly broken away.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the diflerentviews.

1 designates the body of the trunk, which is of the usual wardrobe type,adapted, in operative position, to stand on one end, and

having a front. opening 2, and an outward ly extending ledge portion 8at the lower end of the front opening.

4 designates a cover adapted to close the opening 2 and to swing overthe ledge portion 3, and provided at its upper end with a flange 5 andat its longitudinal edges with flanges 6 and 7, the latter being hingedin the usual manner on a vertical axis to the body 1. i

The front edges of the body 1 and the upper edge of the ledge portion 3are respectively provided with edge binders comprising flanges 8, eachof which consists of a sheet member, preferably sheet metal doubled onitself. see Fig. i, and extending outwardly from the inner side of thebody, one side portion of. the member extending across the adjacent edgeof the body 1, as designated by 9, and both side portions of the doubledmember respectively embracing and being fastened to the inner and outersides of the body 1, as by rivets 10.

The lower flange 8 extends upwardly from the ledge portion 3 at thelower end of the opening 2 between the side flanges 8. The latter are atthe sides of the opening 2 and the upper flange S is at the upper end ofsaid opening.

Within the body 1 11 which extends lower end of the body, and whichdivides the latter into two compartments 12 and 13. The partition 11extends from the rear of the body 1 to the forward edge of the upperflange 8 and to the inner side and over the upper edge of the lowerflange 8.

WVhen the cover 4 is closed, as in Figs. 2 and 3, it is adapted to bearagainst the front edge of the partition 11, and against the front sideof the lower flange 8. The flanges 5, 6 and 7 of the cover, in theclosed position of the latter, embrace the outer sides respectively ofthe upper and side flanges 8. The flanges 8 thereby support and bracethe cover, as does the partition 11, in the closed position of the cover4;. The partition 11, in addition to its function of dividing the body 1into compartments, braces the latter and also braces the upper and lowerflanges 8, as well as the cover 4.

Fastened to the partition 11 in the compartment 12 are horizontal anglebars 1 1 which are paired with similar angle bars 14 is a verticalpartition from the upper to the.

secured to theinner side of the left side of the body 1. 15 designatesdrawers in the compartment 12 which are respectively slidably supportedon thepairsof angle bars 14 ing 2.

Suitable means for supporting clothes hangers 16, Fig. 1, in-thecompartment 13 are providechand which may comprise two chaiinel'guidebars 17 respectively fastened to the partition 11 in the compartment 18and to the inner side of therightside of the bodyl adjacent to the upperend of the latter. Slidably fitted in the channel bars 17 is arectangular frame 18 adapted to be slid into the body 1 to the positionshown indotted lines inFig. 5, and through the opening 2 to the loadingposition shown in solid lines in Fig. 5 and Fig. 1.

A cross bar 19 has its ends respectively fastened to the opposite sidesof the frame 18. It is adapted to support clothes hangers 16, one ofwhiehis shown inFig. 1, and each of which has a hook 20 adapted toreleasably engage and be supported by the bar-19, as shown.

lVhen the frame 18 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, andin solid linesin Fig. 5, the hangers may. be loaded on or removed from the bar 19.After being placed on the bar 19, the frame 18 is forced to the rearposition, shown in dotted linesinFig. 5, in which position, the clothes,not shown, will be suspended by the hangers in the comp artment 13. I

For pressing the clothes, so suspended, against the inner side of thebody 1, suitable means Inay'be provided, as a presser member 21, whichis disposed horizontally inthe compartment 13, and is provided at theside adjacent to the suspended clothes with a pad 22. At its other-sidethe presser member 21 is provided with two horizontal parallel crossarms 23, which extend through thevpartition ll and. are slidably mountedrespectively in two horizontal supporting cross tubes 242., Figs. 2, 3and 6, disposed between two of the adjacent'drawers 15, and which aresupported by clips 25 fastened to the under sides of the adjacent pairof angle bars 1 1. It will be noted that the drawers 15 extend betweenthe partition 11 ;and the upper.fianges 8 and. the left flange 8, thusaffording a brace for said flanges. By having the flanges 8 extendingforwardly from the front edges of the body, the available space in thebody is largely in creased, thus eliminating the use of the coverforsupporting articles, .and thereby reducing the weight of the cover,while affordingyin the body all the space usually divided between thebody and cover.

The arms 23, which may be round rods, areprovided, eaoh on itsupper sidewith notches 26 shaped like ratchet notches and so as to be withdrawnthrough the openwhich are adapted to receive the beveled edge "27 on theunder edge of a horizontal forwardly and rearwardly extending latch bar28, pivoted by avpin 29 in the compartment 13 to the adjacent side ofthe partition 11. "The latch bar 28 has two such bevand is adapted toengage the rear end of,

the frame 18, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 5.

1n the operation of the invention, after thehangers 16 have been loadedon the cross bar 19, the frame is forced into the body 1 to the positionin which the clothes carried by the clothes hangers will be in the trunkbody, and the frame 18 will be in the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 5. The presser member 21 is then forced to the right so as to pressthe clothes against the adjacent inner side of the body of the trunk.The latch bar 28 is then disposed with its beveled edges27engaged withthe adjacent notches 26 of the rod arms 23 respectively. The latch barwill thus releasably hold the presser member 21 from rotracting from thepressing position.

For holding the latch bar 28 thus engaged, when the trunk is turnedupside downduring shipment or storage, a'spring plate 32 bears on theupper edge of the latch bar 28, and is fastened at one end to a clip 33in which the latch bar 28 is upwardly and downwardly movable, and whichis fastened to the partition 11. The spring plate 32 yields to permitthe latch bar 28 being freed from the rod arms 23, but engages it withthe arms when the latch bar is released.

When the cover 4 is closed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it will embracethe flanges 8, and will be adapted to be supported against inwardpressure upon its outer side by the partition 11, whiclralso braces thebody 1 and serves as a supporting means for the drawers 15, the frame 18and the presser member 21, as well as dividing the body intocompartments.

By the provision of the ledge portion 3 with the cover 4 disposed aboveit, the cover is free to swing without contacting with the floor. Anyusual locking means may be provided for holding the cover 1 closed.

When it is desired to insert clothes hangers into or remove them fromthe trunk, the cover 4 is swung to the open position, shown in Fig. 1,following which the latch bar 28 is; swung free-from the arms 23 and thepresser member 21 -is moved to the left out of contact with the clotheswhich are supported by the hangers. The frame 18 is then drawn forwardlyto the position shown in Fig. 1, and in solid lines in Fig. 5, in whichposition hangers may be placed upon or removed from the bar 19. Theframe 18 is then forced rearwardly to the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 5, after which the presser member 21 is moved to the right untilthe pad 22 engages and presses the clothes suspended from the hangersagainst the body 1. At this time the spring plate 32 will engage thelatch bar 28 with the arms 23 by forcing it into the adjacent notches26, whereby the latch bar Will hold the presser member 21 fromretracting from the pressing position.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, asmany modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, may be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

In a wardrobe trunk, a body having a side opening, an outwardlyprojecting ledge portion at the lower end of said opening, flangesextending outwardly from the front edge of the body of the inner sidesrespectively of the upper end and sides of said opening, the sideflanges extending to said ledge portion, and a flange extending upwardlyfrom the inner side of said ledge portion between said side flanges, anda cover for said opening adapted to cover said ledge portion flange andhaving at its upper end and side edges flanges adapted to respectivelyoverlap and cover said end and side flanges of the body, the cover beinghinged to said body and having the edges of its flanges abutting againstthe adjacent edges of said body, when the coveris closed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

VIRGIL WEEKS.

